The Audio Perv

By Ace Ubas

Simply put, Sarah Negahdari is an artist. She has creativity flowing through her veins constantly and will share it with the world by any means possible. Whether she’s writing music, drawing promotional posters for her band The Happy Hollows, or working with time-based media, Ms. Negahdari has an endless supply of creative ideas in her mind that she’s looking to express.

Based out of Los Angeles, Negahdari and The Happy Hollows are a staple in the local music scene. They’ve already shared the stage with Electric Guest, Cults, Grouplove, and Silversun Pickups, and have been musically compared to Sonic Youth, Pixies, and Blonde Redhead. I guess what I’m saying is that it won’t be long until they start to headline their own national and international tours.

But I’ve digressed. This is about Negahdari’s solo side project, Pisces – a folk and psychedelic venture that’s a complete contrast to the frenetic art-rock style of The Happy Hollows – and her debut EP, Flower Toes.

In an interview with Sarah, she described that Pisces is full of many different layers and it’s immediately noticeable on the opener “Being with You.” The rhythm section composed of the percussion (Chris Hernandez) and the subtle bass (Charlie Mahoney) keep the song grounded, while Negahdari’s acoustic guitar and layers of synths provide that light, spacey feel (it’s a dichotomy, I know, but work with me here). Negahdari’s soft, reverberated vocals and backup vocal melodies add an otherworldly quality to it.

“Paint a Rocket” is an intimate song that showcases her musicianship. Her intricate guitar playing brings to mind legendary guitarist John Fahey, while her soaring vocals hit numerous peaks quite beautifully. “Punch Love Drunk” is an upbeat number with a cheery tone that’s completely appropriate for the summer season.

The EP closes with a Happy Hollows-esque track, “Flower Toes,” with playful, intertwining guitars and a lingering tambourine until about half-way through song, the thunderous drums enter as the pace shifts rapidly. At this point, it’s the hypnotic guitar riffs and droning vocals that grab your attention, backed by the explosive and barreling percussion. It’s a perfect way to end the EP that shows a bit of diversity to the music.

The line that “I draw in circles, you draw in lines” found throughout “Paint a Rocket” perfectly captures what Sarah Negahdari is all about as an artist, musician, and person – always moving and full of energy, and a creative mind that’s unconventional, expressive, and constantly stirring. The only thing that makes it disappointing is its brevity (four tracks clocking in at about 13 minutes) and leaves you wanting for more. With the way the record ends, you can tell that she has a lot more to share with her audience. But as long as you’re patient, Flower Toes should be enough to tide you over until the next release and is definitely the beginning of what surely is to come. It builds anticipation and excitement in what hopes to be a full-length album in the near future. Plus, The Happy Hollows do have another album coming out in the fall if you really can’t wait.

Rating: 8/10